ABAP Programming – ABAP General
The following diagram shows the components of SAP ABAP. Generally speaking, it contains the ABAP language, development environment, runtime environment, technologies that based on ABAP and other tools & services. All these components forms the ABAP (Advanced Business Application Programming).
In order to be a senior ABAP consultant, you should have a good command of all these components. I wants to share my personal experience on all these topics.
ABAP Workbench
ABAP Workbench is the development environment for all ABAP-related development.The tools in the Workbench are integrated. For example, when you are working on a program, the ABAP Editor will also recognize objects created using other tools. This integration means if you double-click an object, the Workbench automatically launches the tool that was used to create the object.
ABAP Runtime Environment/Tools/Services
ABAP runtime environment is a virtual machine where ABAP program runs. It forms the basis of SAP NetWeaver application server ABAP stack. It also contains a set of tools for runtime analysis, logging and tracing.
ABAP Language
The ABAP language is a 4 generation programming language that means it supports object-oriented programming. This is why technical guys call ABAP as ABAP/4.
The ABAP programming language was originally used by developers to develop the SAP R/3 platform. It was also intended to be used by SAP customers to enhance SAP applications – customers can develop custom reports and interfaces with ABAP programming.
ABAP API
API (Application Programming Interface) provides a interface to access basic services and tables. Developers needs to remember these APIs to build ABAP programs that are integrated with SAP standard programs. Other than Java stack, SAP doesn’t provide a ABAP API reference for developer. Developer should remember these APIs by memory.
ABAP Tables
All the data is stored in database tables. Like ABAP API, SAP doesn’t provide a table reference for developers either. In R/3 development, all the data is retrieved from the table, so it is critical for ABP consultant to remember common tables for each module like PP, MM, SD, etc.
ABAP Tools/Services
ABAP Tools/Services contain the fundamentally functionalities that supports the ABAP development such as CTS (Change and Transport System), Message Control, Internationalization, SAP Number Range, Locking Concept and so on.
ABAP Technologies
Different ABAP technologies are introduced to build business application for different purposes. In the traditional ABAP development, there is a word ‘RICEF-W’ which stands for Report, Interface, Conversion, Enhancement, Form and Workflow. With the introduction of SAP NetWeaver platform, the development technologies has been extended to BSP, Web Dynpro, Web Service.
In different projects, different technologies might be used. New technologies are also introduced. SAP Technical consultants have to keep up with trends of ABAP technologies.
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